Rockingham Lace Group of South Yorkshire

Month: November 2014

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Christ Church, the parish church of Brampton Bierlow, holds a “Tree Festival” every 3 years. Local groups sponsor and decorate a tree. The Rockingham Craft Group searched cupboards, finished UFOs and created new ornaments in embroidery, tatting, crochet, knitting as well as a variety of laces to provide a beautiful and interesting display. One of the Lace Angels was nick-named “Kamikaze” as, no matter how we tried to attach it to the tree, it managed to fly and crash land in a nearby pew.

As a new comer to the making of lace I have been surprised by the variety of styles and techniques. All of which stem from the basic whole/cloth and half stitch. I love the feel of the bobbins and found the concentration the hobby requires to be very beneficial, the history and folklore fascinating.

In May a group from the Rockingham Lace group attended a two day course tutored by ANNA HALIKOVA in Edinburgh. Anna teaches in her home city of Prague and for privileged lace groups in the UK. I am attracted to Czech lace by its colour and modern usage so in spite of my inexperience I was excited to be able to join the ladies.

Before attending one of Anna’s courses folk are asked to choose one of a small number of possible lace pieces to ensure she brings all the necessary threads and accessories with her from the Czech Republic.

Anna is a very approachable and bubbly lady. Unfazed by my inexperience Anna promptly set about finding me a project more suitable to my needs. Once I got started I was delighted with the task of making my first lace necklace in a range of turquoise threads.

The other ladies worked on scarf edgings or Christmas stars having previoiusly attended courses with Anna.

We travelled by car and stayed in a nearby self-catering apartment (with cleaning service**), wined and dined on local delivery cuisine (fish & chips) , gorged at the Quayside where we convinced the waiter that we were “calorie loading” ice cream so as to run the Marathon next day!! Sincere thanks to those ladies of Rockingham Lace for their encouragement throughout an eventful weekend, topped off by a visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia. Sue W.

We meet 5 times a year (Saturday’s at 10am-4pm) at Ecclesall Parish Church Halls, Ringinglow Road, Sheffield, S11 7PP.

No tuition but tutors within the group will help with a problem. We usually work on our lace or other craft-of-the-moment, chat with kindred spirits, admire the goodies on a show table for items worked by members, appreciate the different styles of lace in progress. We have a Newsletter “PILLOW TALK” that is sent out before each meeting, raffle, committee, library, trade stall (once a year), challenge of a yearly, fun competition for completed U.F.O.s – prize “The “Munday Trophy”.